After two days of thrilling racing, the Tour of Britain rolled out of the North East on Tuesday.

Thousands turned out to watch some of the biggest names in world cycling battle it out on the region's road.

After Sunday's Great North Run and the England's rugby union team defeating Italy at St James' Park on Friday, it capped off a sparkling weekend of sport in the North East.

Team Jumbo-Vism's Dylan Groenewegen crosses to finishing line to win the stage during stage three of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain from Berwick-Upon-Tweed to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

Tuesday's stage set off from Baltic Square on the Quayside, heading through Gateshead and down into the Weardale countryside ahead of a gruelling 173.2km ride to Kendal, in Cumbria.

The stage was won by the pundits' favourite to win the Tour overall, Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel (Team Corendon–Circus).

He struggled to make his mark on the previous day's sprint finish on Newcastle's Grey Street but exploded into action on the final stretch of Tuesday's stage to claim victory.

It allowed a breakaway group of riders who might have expected to be caught sooner to make it all the way to the Quayside before feeling the big name contenders breathing down their necks.

Dutch rider Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jumbo-Visma) claimed the stage after a thrilling sprint finish up the steep incline into the heart of the city with massive crowds watching on.

Speaking to ChronicleLive the next morning, the man who started Tuesday's stage in the green jersey of the race leader, Matteo Trentin (Team Mitchelton-Scott), was full of praise for the finish in Newcastle.

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He'll go into Wednesday's stage in Birkenhead as favourite to win the Tour overall but the race could well be decided in Pershore, Worcestershire, on Thursday when the teams go head to head in a time trial.